Jacksonville Jaguars 2014 Training Camp Profile: Blake Bortles

By Ryan Ratty

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Although he is not quite the finished product just yet, Blake Bortles has the unteachable tools to be a successful quarterback in the NFL. At 6-foot-5, 235-pounds, the UCF star has prototypical size. Bortles also has an accurate arm to go with it. In his junior year at UCF, Bortles put on a show as he brought a little-known program to the top. Many thought UCF’s record was inflated because of the conference they played in, but in the Fiesta Bowl, Bortles and UCF blew out the Baylor Bears on national television.

While Bortles doesn’t have that strong of an arm, he can complete passes at each level of the defense. Dane Brugler of CBSSports.com compared him to a combination of Andrew Luck and Jake Locker. This comparison makes a ton of sense, considering Bortles has a similar build to Luck and he has excellent versatility in and around the pocket like Locker. Perhaps the best part about Bortles is that he is coachable and he has a desire to win. UCF was the only college that wanted him as a quarterback, and he shows his want and desire with each and every snap.

Tall quarterbacks are becoming a hot trend in the NFL, and Bortles is just another product with that trait. Although he is still raw, Bortles has the potential to be Ben Roethlisberger type of quarterback. In his first season with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Bortles may start the year behind Chad Henne on the depth chart. While it could be a smokescreen, head coach Gus Bradley already said that the Jaguars want Bortles to sit and learn before they throw him into the fire. After spending a top-three pick on him, I can’t see the Jaguars starting Henne over Bortles. In 2014, the Jaguars are likely going nowhere and giving Bortles some experience wouldn’t hurt at all.

Ryan Ratty is a columnist for RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @RyanRattyNFL or add him to your network on Google.